DOE Announces the Accreditation and Registration of Electronic Vehicle Charging Stations Providers

On 12 May 2023, pursuant to the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued Department Circular No. DC2023-05-0011 (the “Circular”), otherwise known as the Guidelines for Accreditation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Providers and Registration of Electric Vehicle Charging Station (“EVCS”). The Circular was promulgated to create an enabling environment to support and accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (“EVs”) with extensive EVCS and to provide the guidelines for accreditation of EVCS Providers and registration of EVCS.

As defined in the Circular, EVCS Providers refers to a natural or juridical person duly accredited by the DOE, who sells, constructs, installs, maintains, owns, or operates EVCS or any of its components for a fee. Meanwhile, EVCS refers to a facility with equipment for the delivery of electrical energy to EVs or its battery, installed in an enclosure with special control functions and communications, and may be located off the vehicle. 

Before commencement of operations, EVCS Providers are required to apply for accreditation with the DOE- Energy Utilization Management Bureau (“EUMB”), and may be accredited as any of the following:

1. EVCS Provider – Operator – an entity engaged in the operation of EVCS that collects fees from EV users in exchange for the use of facilities of EVCS to charge EVs.
2. EVCS Provider – Service – an entity engaged in the construction, installation, data and payment management, and maintenance of EVCS who are collecting fees for the said service.
3. EVCS Provider – Supplier – an entity engaged in selling EVCS, or any of its parts/components for a fee.

The EVCS Provider Accreditation Certificate that will be issued shall be valid for 3 years from the date of issuance, unless earlier suspended, revoked, cancelled, or blacklisted, and must be posted and displayed prominently and in a conspicuous location for easy viewing/inspection by the public.

Similarly, before it will be allowed to operate, EVCS must first obtain an EVCS Registration Certificate from the DOE-EUMB. The EVCS Registration Certificate shall be valid for 3 years from the date of its effectivity unless sooner revoked or suspended, and similar to the Accreditation Certificate, must be posted and displayed prominently in a conspicuous location for easy inspection by the public.

Any issued certificates of Accreditation and Registration may be revoked if the EVCS Provider/EVCS are found to be responsible for any of the prohibited acts found in Section 26 of the said Circular. This includes, among others: (i) failure to provide accurate information or provision of false or misleading information as required; (ii) non-posting of and operation without an EVCS Provider Accreditation Certificate and EVCS Registration Certificate; and (iii) non-submission of reportorial requirements. 

In relation to the requirements under the Circular, on 13 June 2023, the DOE-EUMB announced that it has started to accept EVCS Provider Accreditation and EVCS Registration applications. EVCS Registration applications will be accepted per EVCS location, provided that the EVCS is interconnected with the same electrical system, located in the same unit building/floor, and bounded by the same building, unless separate application/s will be required.

Interested applicants may submit their application/s in .pdf and .doc/docx file format via email at doe.eumb@gmail.com, cc: doe.EVoffice@gmail.com. 
For more information as to the documentary requirements for Accreditation and Registration, the full copy of the Circular, as well as its annexes, may be accessed here.